


Hurdling Through Space (Twice!)

by ekzxo (2870)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Attempt at Humor, Home Farm, M/M, Mutual Attraction, Spaceships, baekhyun is more than terrified but comes to love them, jongin owns a honey river and many hybrid farm animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24158344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2870/pseuds/ekzxo
Summary: There's a damaged spaceship, a crater, and a freakish human-resembling alien in Jongin's backyard. Jongin will only repair Baekhyun's spaceship under one condition; if he helps run his home farm.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Kim Jongin | Kai
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: Ethereal Boys Bonus Round





	Hurdling Through Space (Twice!)

**Author's Note:**

> For Ethereal Boys Bonus Round, Prompt #R2-02! 
> 
> It's maybe a bit out of hand - my imagination wandered everywhere, and yet nowhere at all. I FEEL LIKE I COULD'VE MADE IT MORE FUN BUT IDKDKDK overall it's not something i'm exactly disappointed in so,,, do enjoy the reading journey!
> 
> and as for the planet's name...lol with

Kekakibek is a rural planet made up of chunky, purple pathways and vivid yellow skies without puffy clouds. Sprouts of vegetation grow from every dry crack within the purple concrete, if not from the rich, damp soil. Jongin is a fortunate citizen of Kekakibek because he is one of the few on the planet to own a honey river. While many live here, there are only about fifty families, Jongin hardly knowing any of them because he keeps to himself. Nobody bothers to terrorize him for his rare honey because they are rather considerate. Besides, nobody really likes Jongin's honey, apparently.

All Jongin needs is his crops, creatures, and honey river. 

On a typical day, Jongin wakes up before sunrise (yes, the sun still rises and falls on Kekakibek, though usually it is different shades of yellows and blues the entire day span) and caters to his land before himself. He would water his plants, then feed his creatures, and test his honey river for sweetness. In between that, he is listening to Earth's news, filling himself in on the absurd things that go on with that type of life form. 

When all is good with what matters to him most, he allows himself a short rinse then eats breakfast. His signature meal is Super-O's which is a protein and vegetable based waffle in the shape of a bagel. He doesn't do any dipping with it but likes it extra toasted. 

Today, however, in the midst of taking his breakfast out of the mini oven, he hears an ear piercing noise. What seems to be metal against metal make a horrifying noise through his window, followed by the sound of a loud crash. He thinks he hears a squeal too.

"Sludge!" Jongin shouts, commanding for his octopup to race over to him

Sludge appears immediately on call and Jongin is pointing out in the direction of the yard. He is one of the most skilled creature-pets that Jongin owns. The most attentive and most kindest, all in one. Though while attentive and kind, he is extremely protective, aware of an intruder versus a friend. He's heard that Earth has these wellbeings in their planet as well, though they are just called dogs and have four legs. 

Jongin fetches for a gardening tool in the shed and begins to walk slowly towards his yard where he spots gray puffs of smoke filling the air. He frowns deeply, wondering who vandalized his yard. Sludge barks from somewhere that Jongin cannot detect, only making him more aggravated. 

"Hello?" Jongin says with a stern tone, hoping the intruder exposes themselves to Jongin's dark, heavy voice.

" _ Help _ ," someone responds with utter fraileness. 

Jongin follows the voice, swaying the dark air out of the way until he can spot a large yellow thumbtack-like item poking out of his purple grass. He hears Sludge's heavy panting and follows that as well.

Something moves from the ground and Jongin decides to poke it with the end of his shovel. "Get up," he says with the same authoritative voice. He pokes again and again until that thing whines. Slowly but surely, the air clears up and Jongin witnesses a young boy curled up in a ball, shielding his head. "Hey." Jongin heaves a heavy sigh. "Pathetic, oh gosh. Get up! I'm not going to hurt you, just get up before I do."

The said strange, young boy gets up and looks around the entire vicinity before landing his eyes onto Jongin.  _ Great _ . He's so young and probably naive and clueless. Jongin can't really hold him accountable for anything serious because he's probably too young to be charged with anything that would matter to Jongin. 

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Jongin says, prodding his shovel towards the boy. When the boy flinches, he slowly puts it down and repeats, "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know. I was trying to drive my spaceship. I didn't know that you can possibly get into a crash and land into another place!"

Jongin rolls his eyes. "Where are you from?"

"A rocky meteor, not a planet like this. Not at all like this."

"What do you mean?"

"My land is so dark and gloomy and small. I just had to get out of it. Your place is so… " he passes and licks his lips with an amused look on his face. "Pretty."

Sludge comes from in between Jongin's legs and hops onto the stranger, licking his face and pawing at his shoulders. He stands taller than the youngman when he's on his tentacle legs. Jongin confirms that this stranger is no harm and decides to do what he can to understand him better. Jongin is not ever mean, though aggressive when his passions are damaged, but nonetheless a great host. Though this boy created a dent in his yard, his safety comes first. Gladly there doesn't have to be an unfortunate news report on this poor boy, just some flocks of smoke.

"I am Jongin, welcome to Kekakibek, planet of land and aquatic life."

The stranger bows and introduces himself as Baekhyun, from a meteor land that floats aimlessly in space. He says they're tiny organisms but the moment they visit another planet, they automatically adjust themselves in according to that planet's style. Supposedly they are the most to look human. Their alien form is to look exactly like humans, which is what is supposed to be scary. Jongin admits, he is kind of terrifying to look at, with a pale skin complexion and nothing coming out from his head.

"I think your ship is pretty jacked up."

"I know! What am I supposed to do? I don't think the transmitter works. Nothing works."

Jongin sighs and mentions, "I know a thing or two about fixing spaceships. We can call for help from your ship when its fixed. Or I can drop you back off?"

"No, no. Nobody enters our," he does finger quotes, " _ planet _ . I have to stay here and fix this and go back myself, otherwise, you aliens do not shrink to our size."

Jongin doesn't question anything. He's mostly confused as to why he's never heard of his alien species. He gathers all the facts and decides that he will help Baekhyun as soon as possible, though, "Under one condition."

"Yes? Anything! I owe you, Jongin!"

"This could take anywhere from a few weeks to a month. You are to take care of my creatures for me and pick my crops. How about it?"

Baekhyun bites his lips and hesitates. When Jongin shrugs and makes way into his home, Baekhyun whines, "Wait!" Jongin knew very well that would get to him so he nods, only for Baekhyun to insist, "Okay! I will do it."

Jongin instructs Sludge to lead him into the house while Jongin examines the spaceship. He notices that the exterior is made out of cheaper metal as compared to Kekakibek having very sturdy materials. He wonders if their planets produce different things. He wonders what kind of creatures that his planet has that Jongin's does not. Will Baekhyun be terrified to meet his crustacean cows and slimy chickens? Baekhyun looks like he comes from a place that has dinosaurs and flamingos and deers like the humans do (he's read a fascinating book about those vile things called humans).

Inside, Jongin spots Baekhyun standing nervously in the kitchen, eyes wandering the glass home with its transparent stairs and white, white walls. 

"Sit, do sit," Jongin instructs while pointing at the barstool.

"When do I start?"

"I already did everything for the day time. At evening we can go over procedures I do before sunset, then tomorrow you wake before the sky turns light blue and then we'll go over my mornings with my creatures."

Baekhyun nods. Then Jongin nods.

It's a minute or so later for Baekhyun to ask, "What kind of creatures?"

"Oh, you'll see tomorrow."

Baekhyun's face contorts into something funny. He looks disgusted and curious at the same time as he asks, "Is it anything like Sludge, because fuck, he's terrifying."

"Oh, this'll be fun. Now excuse me for a moment, I need to retrieve my tablet to start looking up parts for your ship."

"Jongin! What's that mean? This is not funny! Hey, _ HEY! Why are you walking away. Don't leave me with Sludge, please! _ "

Baekhyun gets a better understanding of this...  _ community _ while Jongin is preparing a blueprint for Baekhyun's transportation device. Previously, Baekhyun told him he could help, that he could participate any way possible. Jongin easily told him that it was impossible to work with another well being. That amazes and perplexes Baekhyun at the same time because he is the brightest, most chirpy well being in his own homeland. He doesn't understand how someone could live in what seems like solitude. Baekhyun hasn't met another alien other than Jongin. He doesn't have neighbors or something. Maybe his pets ate them. 

"Hey, Jongin?"

"Yes?"

Baekhyun shifts in his seat and goes on, "I know you said you'll tell me what you actually do here daily, but... what else is there to do  _ here _ ? You can't possibly just drink out of that honey river."

"Oh, I even swim in it."

Baekhyun's mind immediately wanders to what that must be like, though he doesn't actually think about content like its thickness for a liquid or how heavy it is on the body, whether its sweet or bitter, but more of how Jongin looks like when he's swimming in it. He blinks a few times then shakes his head, not wanting to provide his mind these type of thoughts where there would be no where comfortable to cater to them. 

"What did you say the model was again?"

"Huh? I don't really know," Baekhyun says with a shrug.

"Mind checking for me? It should be on one of the wings."

Instead of grumbling that he should have checked from the start, he decides to nod and check it out. There's a suspicious creaking sound coming from the yard to which Baekhyun assumes is one of the metal gates. What he doesn't expect is to see a wild bear of some sort on the loose. It's got scales and wings. 

"Nice ugly creature, there, there. Please keep me in one piece," Baekhyun says more to himself than the creature itself. 

Jongin's pet — he assumes — minds its own business, continuing to graze the plantlife. Baekhyun heaves a heavy sigh then calmly walks towards his wrecked ship. He easily finds the model of his transportation then makes his way back into the home. He gives a quick glance to that freakish beast before finding Jongin in the mainroom. 

"So, what is that thing out back?"

Jongin looks up and over the counter tops. Quietly, he mutters, "That's Rillu. Hybrid ostrich bear."

"I don't even know what those things are."

"We have many hybrid animals on this planet. Mostly aquatic and domestic animals. But that, yeah sometimes I can't even describe him."

Baekhyun hums and thinks back to his home. While he appreciates it, he has a feeling he won't miss it at all. There's not a single highlight he can think about, when it comes to finding a reason to go home soon. Nobody would miss him either. He's not saying he wants to sabotage Jongin's maintenance process, but he'd do anything to stay on this planet a bit longer. While the animals are terrifying, living in bright solitude is… refreshing.

"Baekhyun!" Jongin says a bit aggressively.

"Huh?" He wonders how long he's been out of it.

Jongin rolls his eyes. "I said, what is the model?"

"Oh! It's—" Baekhyun sits down next to Jongin and forgets everything immediately. "I forgot."

"I really do have to do everything by myself," Jongin scoffs.

"You said so! You said you didn't need my help!"

That does it. Jongin shuts up. When he walks away, Baekhyun sticks his tongue out and Sludge gives him something in between a bark and screech.

Sunset occurs quickly with Baekhyun handing Jongin colored pencils the entire time while the radio plays faintly in the background. Weirdly, Jongin listens to music from earth. Some of the lyrics are very obscene and… dare Baekhyun say it, sexual. Its weird hearing Jongin hum these lewd thoughts while drawing and taking notes. All Baekhyun seems to do is wonder how Jongin's singing voice sounds, or if he can dance to these sexy tunes.

It's now time to finally get a feel for Jongin's day by day domestic lifestyle. He chucks Baekhyun a checkered apron and pulls a few things out of the shed before meeting at the yard.

"My animals eat twice a day. The crops get watered only at night because they feed better in our darker skies. And… the honey pool — I know you're excited — gets stirred fifty times."

Baekhyun's eyes are wide and his lips part. It's a good thing that they don't get bugs here during this time setting, Jongin had told him. "I have to do all of that?"

"Well, yeah, isn't that fair? I do my morning duties. You do the night. Unless… you want to do both with me? It requires you waking up very, very early."

Baekhyun shakes his head and makes a gesture of himself zipping his lips. "Night time duty! Got it."

Jongin lets out a little chuckle that Baekhyun catches before he converts his grin back into a stoic expression. "Alright, I'll tell you how much cups of what each grazer needs. And how to feed the ones who need a bit more of one to one. I am sure you know how to water crops?"

"Um, how do  _ you _ water them? I have sprinklers."

"Sprinklers?"

"Water just shoots out of a spout when we want them. But our ground is mostly cement. Which is why we only put sprinklers where it's necessary. Then nobody needs to lift a finger."

"Oh, that sounds like a waste," Jongin scoffs.

Jongin guides Baekhyun to an open barn where he prepares the bags of food that the animals eat. He seems to lift them without haste but when Baekhyun squats to raise them, he neary topples back. Jongin tells him that there is a reason why he moved the food so closely to the feeders for Baekhyun to scoop. 

The feeding doesn't get easier when Jongin forces him to feed the absurd cow looking things with such vegetation that he has back at home. His hands are awfully close to the creatures mouths and when he shuts his eyes to avoid looking at them, they lick his fingers.

"Can we not!" Baekhyun whines while stomping the ground as Jongin pushes him towards the freakish ostrich from earlier.

"You have to get used to Rillu. He's no big deal. Besides along with Sludge, he's smart and practically knows which of my animals eat what things, he'd be massive help, if for whatever reason, I won't be able to assist you.  _ Oh, right!  _ The reason is that I'll be busy fixing your space ship!"

Baekhyun groans before pulling Jongin's arms off of him. He huffs dramatically, "Fine, fine. Let me meet the big buddy."

Dinner is the most tolerable part of Baekhyun's day while being in unfamiliar territory and what not. For the most part, he and Jongin eat the same things. Humans on earth often think that aliens feed off brains, but they eat a wholly nutrient based meal two times a day, both gaining and losing their weight from metabolism. The first dinner with Jongin consists of fried chicken and pickled vegetables. Jongin makes everything from scratch and uses his own cucumbers and carrots from his garden. It's crispy and savory, just Baekhyun's style.

With his mouth stuffed with rice and veggies, he mutters, "This is so good! Can't wait for breakfast."

Jongin comments, "I make light breakfast and it suffices for the rest of the day until dinner."

"Do you at least eat snacks?"

"Are you a toddler who needs snacks within increments?"

Baekhyun pouts. "I mean, I might. I usually feed about four times a day."

"Ah, I did hear the growling of a stomach earlier. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I am a guest. I'd only accept if you offer."

Jongin takes a sip of his drink before replying, "Well in the meantime until your visit is up, the pantry and fridge is yours just as much as it is mine. But fair warning, the bottom drawer for the right side cabinet is mine. You don't have access to it."

"I could pay for some groceries."

"With what money?"

"Aren't I working for you in exchange?"

Jongin hums. "Right, so just do as you should nightly, and maybe tidy up the house here and there, and we're even." He sits up straighter and nudges his chin somewhere far off in the kitchen. "I don't shop for groceries here. We have a filter system for the community that delivers food into those tubes."

"Ah, isolation. I forgot," Baekhyun says with an indulgent laugh. He also thinks about the absurd Dr. Seuss stories where they, too, had tubes and shooting filters that distributed strange things.

"When you're done, wash up and meet me in the livingroom. I'll be getting the extra blankets."

Baekhyun takes his time eating. He doesn't understand how Jongin can shove two drumsticks down his throat at once, chew a little, then be done.

From where he sits, he gets a perfect view of Jongin bending over to get blankets from a low drawer. Baekhyun can't seem to stop fawning over Jongin's perfect attributes because in Baekhyun's  _ accommodation _ , he doesn't have people that attract him. They're just like him, is the problem. They,  _ Baekhyun's kind, _ look human. They lack the edgy features that Jongin's kind has. With his sharper horns and scaly textured cheekbones. He's a pretty, glowing, balanced shade like the sunset casting on water. That type of glow, that type of shine. Why must Jongin be so attractive, as opposed to Baekhyun? He must appear frightening and unappealing to Jonign, and maybe that's why they've only shared a few glances within the last four hours. 

Since he really hasn't gotten to know Jongin more, other than small talk about the city, Baekhyun decides to eat up quickly so they can talk abit more about the next few days, just before Jongin goes to bed.

Baekhyun finishes up by washes the dishes and wiping down the table, wanting to be a good host. He'll have to make it a show to do this often because he doesn't know Jongin's habits but know that people like to have a clean home, at the very least. 

Jongin is doing push ups when he enters the living room. A perplexed expression pulls onto Baekhyun's face because, does this guy ever stay still? Baekhyun thinks he has dozens of hobbies and its very admirable. 

"So…" Baekhyun says awkwardly.

Jongin gets off from the ground and starts walking off. Baekhyun understanding him at this point, starts following him, knowing that he'll say little to nothing.

Baekhyun is met with a small bedroom, furnished with all the necessary items. He sees a fat pile of blankets on the bed, the same blankets Jongin was carrying earlier, causing his eyebrows to raise in realization.

"Does it get really cold or something?"

"Oh,  _ very _ ."

"Do you have—"

Jongin cuts him off and announces, "I already provided a week's worth of clothing in one of the drawers already. You'll just wash them every Friday for however long you'll be staying. I hope you don't mind wearing the same pajamas frequently because I only gave you basketball shorts and a fuzzy bottom."

Jongin closes the bedroom door with a simple goodnight. 

Baekhyun finds a few graphic tees along with the pajama bottoms. When he puts the _ I Love Kekakibek _ t-shirt on, it still smells a bit like Jongin.

☻

During the last couple of days, Baekhyun has been doing nothing but following the strict routine. He wakes up, a few hours later than Jongin, has breakfast that Jongin made, then spends the days either playing with Sludge, stirring the honey pool for fun, or handing Jongin tools. His arms feel like they're going to fall off every single day.

On an afternoon with Jongin burying himself beneath the ship working on some internal kinks beneath it, Baekhyun wanders off. 

Baekhyun has always had interest in the delivery tubes but Jongin told him not to touch them. He's interested in mechanics behind it, how things come from the main site all the way to homes, and the people all the way around town, working to bring them here. Has anyone accidentally shipped their tie or jewelry in it, or worse, their own bodies? 

He observes the dial of unknown, confusing buttons and clicks on what he believes will allow him to place an order. A home page with essentials and daily deals pop up. Baekhyun politely declines with the obvious dismiss button then begins clicking the keypad, eager to see the results for _ thank you  _ baskets. Its not all that kind to buy something for Jongin that will charge him, but heck, Jongin can adjust the differences in his  _ pay _ . It's a pay that Baekhyun doesn't even get but whatever, its the thought that counts. And Baekhyun buying something while Jongin is working hard means well.

The order of a bundle of snacks with a complimentary stuffed animal that looks like Sludge comes within a matter of minutes.

Baekhyun skips over to Jongin's bedroom and plops the basket onto his bed before leaving, attempting not to make his traces obvious.

"Get a coat, we're going out," Baekhyun catches Jongin's announcement when he exits the hallway.

"Oh, why?"

"I'm not leaving you alone unattended in my house."

Baekhyun pretends to be offended with a gasp, "I wasn't asking about that."

Jongin leaves him with a bored look and Baekhyun has no other option but to follow him to his form of transportation. 

The leather in his automobile has a pleasant smell. It’s less compact than Baekhyun’s and doesn’t have seatbelts, which is slightly alarming. Though, he’s reassured when Jongin’s driving is nothing but smooth. 

“I just need to pick up a tool that they won’t ship over because it is too small to ride the conveyor.”

During the drive, Baekhyun sticks his nose against the window, admiring the vibrant buildings with every passing. Their community covers all the tall buildings in bright colors, paintings of their wildlife and quirky quotes. The spaceship hovers over peachy, orange clay topography, reminding Baekhyun on how he doesn't really miss home at all. Jongin's safe driving lands them at a sleek shop with a neon light twinkling despite the bright day time.

"You don't have to come in," Jongin says while slipping out of his spaceship.

"Why," Baekhyun crosses his arms, "Are you ashamed of me?"

The color from Jongin's face drains. "What, no!?"

Baekhyun hops out with a humorous grin. He doesn't know about the planet's policy on outsiders but Jongin doesn't seem to be saying anything as he walks towards the shop. 

"I'm just going to grab a lugnut, don't wander too far," Jongin mentions loosely.

The moment Jongin walks off, Baekhyun can't help but be  _ Baekhyun _ . He does exactly what Jongin told him not to do. This store is too massive, top impressive to not to wander in. Not only is it a mechanical shop as he assumed but also a full on hobby shop. Baekhyun spots things from the tools in Jongin's shed to paddles for the honey river. He's tempted to poke things but he doesn't want Jongin to pay for anything he breaks. Eventually, he leaves because the plants outside look more fascinating than camping tents.

Baekhyun kneels on the ground to touch the petals of this unknown blossoming flower. They're oddly stickier than they appear and have a strong smell as opposed to what he's used to. Those at home don't really smell enticing. 

From the corner of his eye he spots a squirrel who happens to walk concerningly slow. He's well aware of squirrels that pounce on their tiny feet like lightening speed, but this innocent creature seems to be injured or something.

"Wait, Baekhyun don't touch it!" Jongin shouts right after Baekhyun lets it crawl into his palms. "Don't trust it, Baekhyun, I'm telling you."

Baekhyun raises it towards his face. "What do you mean? It's completely harmless!"

Before he knows it, there's this piercing sting on his wrist and the feeling of coolness seeps into a sudden gash on his cheek. He retracts back, stumbling onto the ground, bottom first. When he touches his wet cheek, he pulls away to find stains of blood on his palm. Even that same arm has a bite mark on the surface.

"Jongin," Baekhyun whines in sudden panic. "Wait, Jongin, Jongin!"

Baekhyun doesn't do so well with blood. He's more perturbed when its his own bloody noses from heat waves in foregin planets. The last thing he sees is Jongin dropping to his knees besides him. 

"I warned him. I said don't touch it. I said so. And what does he do, he touches it!" 

Baekhyun wakes up to that. He wakes up to Jongin giving him dizziness by pacing in circles, ranting and complaining to someone else in the room. Studying the other figure, Baekhyun is surprised to realize that Jongin has a friend. He sits up and catches both of their attention when he groans from the throbbing headache.

"Idiot," Jongin grumbles. Somehow, he still sits at the edge of the couch and places a gentle hand on Baekhyun's forehead. "Are you alright?"

Baekhyun nods in response but stops because the hand on his head weighs him down. When he tries to shoo away Jongin’s touch, he notices bandages fitted around his wrist. 

“Uh, thanks.” Baekhyun pokes his injury but Jongin pushes his hand away. “Is it bad?” He asks, even when he knows Jongin won’t have a committed answer. 

“It’s whatever.”  _ As expected.  _ "You're lucky that one didn't have a disease."

Jongin pulls away and chucks him a bottle of water. Baekhyun attempts to get off the couch but Jongin pushes him down by the shoulders. 

“Night duties,” Baekhyun insists. 

“I have a friend who’s going to help me with your ship while I take care of the fields tonight.”

Baekhyun tries not to make his pout too obvious. Does Jongin really want him out of his hair that bad? Just days ago, he and Jongin were eating creamsicles, watching comedy films (human’s horror and thriller categories). And now it seems like Jongin’s task to repair Baekhyun’s spaceship is so urgent. 

“What?” Jongin presses suddenly. 

Baekhyun glances around the room, eyes landing on the friend. He’s looking at him weird. Not predatory or anything but it’s like he’s got a lot of questions, ones that Baekhyun assumes he does not have the answers to. 

“Can you come back soon? I’m getting hungry and you won’t exactly let me get up.”

Jongin pats the top of his head and answers, “Twenty minutes.”

Before Jongin sets off to leave, Baekhyun snags his flannel, pulling him back. “Wait. Are you going to introduce us or,” Baekhyun comments while flickering his eyes to the friend leaning against the other couch.

“Mark Lee and Baekhyun,” Jongin says as he looks between the two. “Okay, we’re off now. If something is off, Sludge will be able to detect it. Just get some rest. We don’t need you passing out because it’s not that you weigh a ton, but I don’t want to carry you again.” 

Jongin's comment manages to make Baekhyun laugh. He loosens up and leans against the arm of the chair, catching the remote that Jongin chucks in his direction. Time to watch more human horror. But first, the moment Jongin turns away, Baekhyun starts to undo his gauze around his wrist. He catches the sound of Jongin shouting, “Don't unravel the bandages!” 

Within an hour or so, Jongin is back, walking inside shirtless with drips of honey matte on his chest and some sliding down his calves. Jongin more than likely catches the sight of Baekhyun staring. Baekhyun looks away awkwardly, attention back to the television.

“What? I forgot a towel,” Jongin mutters. 

Baekhyun closes his eyes for a few seconds, urging himself to forget how attractive Jongin's alien form is. Then something drops onto his lap, snapping his eyes open.

"What's this?" Jongin asks, now fully clothed to Baekhyuns's disappointment.

"It's a thank you basket," Baekhyun responds like its the most obvious thing on the planet.

"Yeah, why?"

Baekhyun shrugs. "I don't see Rillu fixing my ship, do I? Because boy, if I could give it to someone more appreciative, I would."

"Ha, ha," Jongin grumbles. His eyes are thoughtfully trained on the gift basket on Baekhyun's lap until he pulls it into his own arms. "I'll put this in my china cabinet."

"You don't have one," Baehyun says in the form of curiosity and confusion.

"Okay, well, we'll share the goodies and I'll use the basket to collect my space chicken eggs."

Jongin gestures him to go into the dining room and Baekhyun barely realizes now that there is a warm aroma traveling through the home. He follows it all the way to the kitchen and sits at the dining table where he meets Mark Lee already with a bowl.

"Here, I prepared you a dish already," Jongin says with a smile, pulling out Baekhyun' seat and handing him utensils. "Give me a minute, guys."

Once Jongin leaves, Baekhyun is faced with the awkward silence and Mark's entire attention on him. Baekhyun slurps the brown soup with colorful swimming vegetables and sighs happily. It warms his chest in a refreshing way. Baekhyun can never really emphasize how much of a lovely cook Jongin is with his home crops.

“It’s weird that he’s helping you,” Mark breaks eeriness. 

“Excuse me?” Baekhyun asks with a frown, not understanding the tone the stranger sends his way.

“Jongin is nice. A very nice person. But he is never committed to anything other than his farm.”

“Oh believe me, he just wants me up and out of here,” Baekhyun responds with a light chuckle, even if deep down there’s something about that sentence that feels very heavy in Baekhyun's chest. 

Mark mocks, "Oh believe me, there's more to just exchanging jobs here and there. He never lets me work on the farm."

"Maybe its because you drowned in the river after being chased by my cows," Jongin retorts when he comes back into the dining room. 

Jongin sits in the seat besides him for the first time since Baekhyun's stay and Baekhyun tells himself his face is hot because of the soup's steam.

☻

Baekhyun finds himself uncomfortable after eavesdropping in on one of Jongin's conversations with another farmer by the name of Luhan. 

One thing that Baekhyun gathered about Jongin is that he's madly in love with chicken. Not just loving fried chicken and baked chicken and chicken tenders, but it might be an obsession. While Jongin limits his protein intake, sometimes the chicken consumption skyrockets in his weekly meal plan.

Jongin was mentioning something about how the chickens are  _ ready to go _ . This entire week, Jongin instructed him to do a double amount of feeding for the chickens during his night round, but Baekhyun noticed he was doing the same in the morning time. Now he's prepared a big bath outside just for his chickens. 

Call Baekhyun crazy, but he's pretty sure Jongin is fattening up and treating them out before he fries them up. Which is why Baekhyun constructs a plan to release the chickens free before Jongin can get his hands on them.

Baekhyun has been lingering behind his spaceship, which is mostly assembled besides a few screws and metal scraps dismantled here and there. He observes the way Jongin takes each chicken out of the sprinkling water, one by one. He races into action once Jongin leaves the scene, prancing towards the chickens in the coop, and unfastening the gate lock. They all scatter the yard. Some of them wander into the shallow water and some, like planned, begin leaving Jongin's yard. 

Baekhyun grins in triumph while he hears Jongin screaming in rage. He glances to Jongin who's stomping towards him, and when he's inches away from Baekhyun, he starts shaking him furiously.

"What the fuck, Baekhyun!"

"I'm setting them free!"

"Why!?" Jongin snarls. 

He ends up pulling away and starts frantically chasing after them. Baekhyun hunches his body over his knees and laughs deliriously. It isn't until he spots Jongin's distraught expression, does he feel a massive wave of guilt. Baekhyun decides to throw in the towel and help Jongin out. Surely there's a reason behind all of this and Baekhyun should've considered it before doing damage like this. Because if it's not Jongin consuming them, they would still be in danger in the wild streets of Kekakibek.

It takes a few minutes of endless laps around the field and scraped knees, but Baekhyun manages to catch four of the twelve while Jongin gathers the rest into coop.

When Jongin collapses in frustration, Baekhyun provides him shade with his shallow. 

"I'm sorry, Jongin," Baekhyun apologizes wholeheartedly.

"What was that all about? Why did you find it necessary to  _ free _ them?!"

"I thought you were going to k-word them!"

Jongin scoffs with bothersome chuckle, "K-word them, huh? I was getting them ready for the next season."

"Oh…"

Later in the day, Baekhyun plops next to Jongin and confidently drops his head against Jongin's shoulder.

"Sorry for assuming things, buddy."

"Yeah, this is why it's just me and my farm in solitude," Jongin scoffs.

"You really want me to leave, don't you? I'll admit I'm afraid to go home. My family isn't all that supportive, nor are my friends. We come from somewhere so distant and cold. The fact that you're like that in such a pretty place boggles me. And yet you helped me, so this means you're different somehow."

Jongin lets his head fall against Baekhyun's in return. 

☻

Jongin paces in circles, wonderning how to break it to Baekhyun. It's good news, it shouldn't make Jongin worry too much. But this is the most anxious he's felt in a long while.

Something clicked when he lifted Baekhyun off his feet and into his arms, racing into his automobile and hazardly driving home. When he carried Baekhyun into his livingroom with the help of Sludge already opening the door, he couldn't take his eyes off him the entire time, for some unknown, mystifying reason. That's when Jongin noticed his own change in behavior whenever he was around Baekhyun. He felt a strange attraction, and a heaping load of protection that he only gave to his farm critter since then. And now Baekhyun is given the opportunity to leave with his repaired spaceship and Jongin has reason to make him stay.

Jongin decides to drag Baekhyun out of his bed and force him into the yard. 

"What, what's anything got to do with pulling me out of bed during brunch," Baekhyun groans, peeking only one eye open.

Jongin continues to guide him outside and places him right in front of his shiny, mended spaceship. 

"Oh," Baekhyun says breathlessly, "It looks great! Is this also a new paint job."

Jongin chuckles awkwardly, "It is."

"So, I guess you woke me up bright and early to get me home safely before our sundowns."

It's not true but Jongin nods anyways.

Baekhyun doesn't say anything for a while. He takes his time observing every angle of the spaceship and even gets its motor going. When he comes back, Jongin doesn't catch the same bubbly, talkative Baekhyun. 

"I have nothing to collect, so I guess I'll get going now. Thank you for your hospitality. Everything you've done, really. Thank you so much Jongin."

Jongin nods and he supposes that's that. Baekhyun slips into his spaceship and doesn't look back. 

In the evening, there's light casting through his livingroom where he reads a letter from Baekhyun's thank you basket that he didn't find until earlier today.

_ why have we never swam in the honey river? you're going to teach me how to stay under honey for a long while right? not only have i never got to do that, i never got to tell you how interesting you are. i think i will miss you more than the creatures when i get back home. you probably really miss playing big boy with my spaceship.  _

There's an alarming knock that makes Jongin jump in his seat. When he opens the door, nobody is on the other end. But he does spot something occupying his driveway. Jongin follows the path towards the spaceship bur suddenly Sludge is racing from in between his legs, tackling a figure that from around the spaceship.

"I have a proposal for you," Baekhyun says.

"My day was a little too quiet without you," Jongin replies.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> how do u imagine jongin in this more deeply,,


End file.
